In 2011, Benro launched the third generation of their best selling traveler tripod series - Travel Angel.
In addition to the short folded length property, new features were added to this new product:
- Advanced Monopod Conversion Ability
(with much longer max. height than the previous generation)
- Trekking Pole Conversion Ability
Let's go more in-depth, here we use C1692TB0 as the demonstration.
Where to Buy?
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| Opened |
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| Reverse Folding Design Leg and Head are at the same side, so as to shorten the folded length. |
Specifications of the whole series
From the chart above, we could know the basic properties of the tripods:
- Material: Carbon Fiber / Aluminium
- Max. Leg Thickness: #1 / #2 thickness
- Tripod Design: "6" = Reverse Folding Traveler Tripod
- Leg Sections: "8" = 4 Sections / "9" = 5 Sections
- Extra Function: "2" = Monopod conversion with "head + center column + leg" mechanism
- Lock Type: Twist Lock
- Bundled Head: B0 / B1
Please read the post "Naming System of Benro Tripods" for more details of the Benro tripod models.
To be simple, there are 12 models for selection in total, with different materials / thickness / sections / lengths:
To be simple, there are 12 models for selection in total, with different materials / thickness / sections / lengths:
Carbon Fiber
- C1682TB0
- C1692TB0
- C1692TB0S (Shorter version of C1692TB0)
- C2682TB1
- C2692TB1
- C2692TB1S (Shorter version of C2692TB1)
Aluminium
- A1682TB0
- A1692TB0
- A1692TB0S (Shorter version of C1692TB0)
- A2682TB1
- A2692TB1
- A2692TB1S (Shorter version of C2692TB1)
General Features
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| Reverse Folding Design Leg and Head are folded at the same side, and the head is almost totally covered by the tripod leg. That's why the Travel Angel tripods are shorter than normal tripods. |
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| Folded - Back View |
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| Folded - Front View |
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| 3/8" mounting screw (connecting ball head and tripod), please note that it's not removable. |
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| Twist Lock Mechanism |
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| Leg Angle Selector - 2 angles available |
Monopod & Trekking Pole Conversions
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| Conversion Procedures of Monopod and Trekking Pole |
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| Foamed leg, ball head & center column are the elements for monopod conversion |
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| Monopod Conversion Step 1: Twist out the foamed leg |
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| Monopod Conversion Step 2: Screw out the hanging hook, then pull out the center column |
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| Monopod Conversion Step 3: Connecting the center column to the foamed leg |
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| Monopod Conversion Step 4: Done! |
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| Wooden Handle for Trekking Pole conversion |
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| Trekking Pole Conversion Connect the wooden head to the foamed leg |
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| Trekking Pole Conversion: Done! |
Ball Head Details
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| Benro B series ball head is bundled. |
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| 4 knobs controlling: Main Drag Knob / Damping Knob / Panoramic Knob / Quick Release Knob |
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| Top View - with Spirit Bubble Level |
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| New safety design, prevents sudden dropping of equipment. |
Accessories
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| Accessories: Allen Key and Steel Spiked Feet |
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| Interchangable Feet: Rubber feet for flat surface Steel Spiked feet for rocky, muddy, sandy surfaces |
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| Steel Spiked feet for rocky, muddy, sandy surfaces |
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| Original Tripod Bag |
Verdicts
We have summarized the pros & cons of the tripod for buyers' consideration.
pros:
- Short folded length, Light weight & portable
- Convertible to monopod, and much taller monopod height than the old models.
- Flexible leg angles (2 levels)
- Interchangable feet for different surfaces (rubber and steel spikes)
- Detachable ball head
- Cener column is able to upside-down (usually used in films or books reshooting)
- Convertible to trekking pole
cons:
- Only accepts tripod heads with 3/8" base screw diameter.
- The minimum height of the tripod is not low enough, and it needs short center column to achieve the lowest height.
The compact size and advanced monopod conversion ability make the Benro 3rd Generation Travel Angel Tripod be one of the best selling tripods from Benro so far.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find the article useful. :-)
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Thanks -- your review is very useful and has helped me decide which model to purchase.
ReplyDeleteThanks for clarifying on Benro model naming scheme. It really helps to understand their ways of naming. Now to consider 4 or 5 leg sections model hmm...
ReplyDelete